Warning: Nationwide not a "bank?!"

Smugglers

Hello. Has anyone else had this experience? I had to get a bank reference for a transaction. I went into Nationwide and they said, fine, just bring in the documents and we'll deal with it. When I went back the next day, a different person refused even to look at the request and just said "We don't give bank references ever, because we are not a bank!" So I asked how I could proceed with my other transaction, and she just said "Not my problem".
Can this be true, or was she just having an off-day? If it is true, surely they have been misleading us dreadfully all by trying to persuade us to transfer all our current accounts to them so that they can be our main "bank".
I would be really interested to know what others think.

thatsean

Well, she is right - they are not a bank. But surely the company you need the reference for would be happy with a reference from a building society?

datostar

Well they are a Building Society, mutually owned by members, but take a look at this page : http://www.nationwide.co.uk/mediacentre/PressRelease_this.asp?ID=525

They boast of not charging for a Banker's Reference!

apt

Nationwide still does not charge for a banker's reference, but the third party requesting the reference needs to apply to the Nationwide centrally and wait up to 10 working days.

Nationwide is happy to supply bank references for customers and there is no charge for this service.

The request needs to be sent by the third party i.e. letting agency, bank etc, along with written authorisation from the account holder. Once we have received this information we’ll send the reference back to the interested party by post.

Please arrange for the request to be sent to:

Nationwide Building Society
On-line Team
Kings Park Road
Moulton Park Industrial Estate
Northampton
NN3 6NW

Please allow 7 to 10 working days.



http://www.nationwide.co.uk/search/DisplayArticle.aspx?article=1174

agsnu

Yet another example of Nationwide's incompetent staff talking out of their behinds. They're almost as bad as Santander.

ses6jwg

Not sure why people get so snooty about Nationwide.

"OOOOOO I have all my accounts with Nationwide, they're a Building Society don't you know, mutually owned by all its.... ZZZZZ"

It's not as if they are famed for customer service at the moment or that they even have market leading products. Competitive yes, market leading? No.

At the end of the day they're still a business raking in money to fill the pockets of directors.

Chadsman

How much detail does a bankers reference go into- that someone keeps their current account in good order, how much is paid in/out or...?

LongTermLurker

Smugglers wrote: »

When I went back the next day, a different person refused even to look at the request and just said "We don't give bank references ever, because we are not a bank!" So I asked how I could proceed with my other transaction, and she just said "Not my problem".

I'd be asking to speak to the manager and saying you're moving your account to someone who doesn't employ t***s

steve1980

Chadsman wrote: »

How much detail does a bankers reference go into- that someone keeps their current account in good order, how much is paid in/out or...?

Depends on the information being requested. If it's for a rental property then a letter will be sent saying do you feel that the client will be able to accomodate payments of £xxx per month.

Fedz

ses6jwg wrote: »

Not sure why people get so snooty about Nationwide.

"OOOOOO I have all my accounts with Nationwide, they're a Building Society don't you know, mutually owned by all its.... ZZZZZ"

It's not as if they are famed for customer service at the moment or that they even have market leading products. Competitive yes, market leading? No.

At the end of the day they're still a business raking in money to fill the pockets of directors.

Regardless a building society IS owned by it's members & NOT shareholders ... blah, blah, blah, their's nothing wrong at all with people wishing to save & or borrow money from a financial institution that doesn't pay out to shareholders that aren't even using it's services ... blah, blah, blah.

Not everyone jumps from ship to ship ... just as much as I don't jump from friend to friend when I do or don't get anything from them!

Bottom line is: They provide a very good full service basic bank account with a embossed Visa debit card, reliable, easily accessible on-line & telephone banking, generally friendly & helpful staff in branch.

dtaylor84

Fedz wrote: »

Not everyone jumps from ship to ship ...

More fool them...

Fedz wrote: »

just as much as I don't jump from friend to friend when I do or don't get anything from them!

Your bank is not your friend.